


everything casts a shadow

by lionheartedgirl



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, Mentions of Ensemble, au for 5x10, au in general, mentions of caroline/klaus - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 23:36:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10627542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionheartedgirl/pseuds/lionheartedgirl
Summary: Katherine opens her eyes expecting to see long brown hair and her own face staring back at her. Instead she was met with blonde hair and blue eyes staring down at her.Caroline stood by her bedside for a moment, wringing her hands together, and Katherine wants to groan.This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.





	

The door opens and closes quietly, followed by silent footsteps that only can come from a vampire. Katherine knows she mastered them a long time ago.

She opens her eyes expecting to see long brown hair and her own face staring back at her. Instead she was met with blonde hair and blue eyes staring down at her.

Caroline stood by her bedside for a moment, wringing her hands together, and Katherine wants to groan.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.

“I…know were not friends,” Caroline says, “And we’ll never get to that place where a hundred years from now I can joke about you smothering me with a pillow. But…I thought you shouldn’t be alone.”

Caroline took another step forward, pausing before sitting on the side of the bed.

“Stefan’s already said his goodbyes and Damon…I won’t let him get into your head again. You might be a bitch but you don’t deserve that.”

 _"Really?”_ Katherine asks, “Saint Barbie thinks that I’m too good to be tortured by Damon. Is my death really ending the world?”

“Well it’s certainly not hurting your ego.”

Caroline seems to regret saying it as soon as the words were out of her mouth and looks away. Katherine concentrates on breathing in and out over and over again.

This body would die, she knew that.

She also knew she wasn’t ready to die yet.

“I…Klaus was here.” Caroline says, “He wanted…well he’s _Klaus_ , I’m sure you can guess what he wanted, but I made sure he stayed away too. Convinced him…Whatever happens, you don’t have to worry about him or Damon or anyone else. You’ll at least get…peace I guess, in the end. Or something like it.”

 _Caroline_ had convinced Klaus to go away? All on her own? She had made him leave, the man who offered only ugly death to leave Katerina in peace.

“Peace.” She repeats.

“Hey, it’s your last hurrah, right? You should get that.”

Her last hurrah, huh?

Her last hurrah as Katherine Pierce, as Katerina Petrova.

But maybe—

Caroline had batted her little eyelashes and gotten Klaus to leave. She had heard the talk, it wasn’t the first time she had swayed the Original to their side.

And Stefan…Stefan had taken her under his wing. Made her into some odd mixture of mentee, best friend, and Lexi almost. Made her into everything he wanted to be. She was so special, so very special to him.

And she meant too much to Elena for Damon to even think of hurting her now.

“I’m sorry,” Caroline broke the silence, “I know I shouldn’t be, but I am.”

Katherine laughs a little at that, until it turns into coughs. But she smiles as blood touches her lips.

“Caroline Forbes…whoever thought it would be _you_?”

“You mean with you now?”

Katherine smirks.

She reaches out, her hands grabbing Caroline strongly as she utters the words Nadia had taught her. Caroline tries to fight Katherine of course, but the magic is too strong and she had surprise on her side.

Caroline was too kind, too naïve to see that Katherine was still a threat even on her death bed.

She slumped, falling to the floor, her hair fanning out below her and Katherine’s eyes finally fluttered shut for the last time.

Caroline, Katherine had always thought, was like poetry in the making.


End file.
